Proposed Change to Pay of Short Term Supply Teachers is Not Comprehensive Enough

In a bid to head off further shortages of supply teachers, the Scottish Government and local council body, CoSLA have offered a 'pay rise' to supply teachers as part of a pay package which will be offered to teachers. Yesterday, Scotland's largest teachers' union, the EIS confirmed that it would ballot all its members on the pay package.

Under a deal imposed in 2011 by the Scottish Government, the daily rate paid to supply teachers for five or fewer days was halved, leaving many schools unable to find supply to cover absences. Teachers' Unions report that one in three councils is still struggling. In Dundee during periods of seasonal illness, many Head Teachers found that there were very few teachers to call on from the supply list. As a result they were pulled away from their management roles to take classes.


The new agreement will see “short-term supply” redefined, meaning teachers will be paid the full rate after three days, rather than the previous five. It is also proposed that teachers receiving the lower rate will also be paid ten per cent extra for preparation and correction.

Of course this may just shift the problem with supply teachers avoiding covering teacher absences not likely to be sustained beyond two or three days.

This mess was one of the SNP government's own making. I warned then that this would lead to difficulties in recruiting short term supply teachers and that it would be the children who suffer as their teachers are run ragged covering for absent teachers. Unfortunately, I think the SNP led Scottish Government are not making a good job of responding to the rising tide of criticism about the shortage of supply teachers, especially for short term cover. This proposed change may be an improvement but it does not remove the disincentive for supply teachers to turn down demands for short term supply teaching. Who would want to work for half pay for up to three days, when there are better offers available for four or more days work?

This is another example of short term cuts and long term damage.

Scotland’s Largest Teaching Union to Ballot for Industrial Action over Changes to the Teachers' Pension Scheme

Parents will be concerned to learn that teachers are considering balloting on strike action to protect their pensions.


Commenting, Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) General Secretary Ronnie Smith said,
"For hard-pressed teachers, the prospect of paying more of their salary into a pension scheme with the promise of working longer and getting far less at the end just might be the straw that breaks the camel's back."
This shows how seriously teachers view this issue.


I think the SNP government in Holyrood has a very serious obligation to parents and pupils to ensure we do not return to the type of industrial action which closed Scotland's schools during the 1980s. This led to repeated school closures and gaps in teaching and learning for pupils preparing for examinations. In the longer term there was a loss of goodwill which translated into a decline in out of school activities previously voluntarily supported by teachers. It has taken a long time to rebuild trust between employers and their teachers and for goodwill to be evident again. This could easily be thrown away by heavy handed action by the SNP government in Edinburgh.


The changes Labour made to the teaching profession set in place a proper procedure for resolving disputes, and it brought stability to the classroom for a decade. These procedures are being bypassed by the SNP Government in Holyrood which has led to Teachers contemplating strike action.


I hope the SNP's Education Convener in the City will join me in calling on the government in Edinburgh to stop bypassing the existing processes for negotiating with our teachers.